Mary Barra

Date of Birth: December 24, 1961

Zodiac Sign: Capricorn

Biography

Mary Barra is an American businesswoman who has served as the Chair and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of General Motors since January 15, 2014. She is the first female CEO of a major global automaker. Barra began her career at General Motors in 1980 as a co-op student, and over the decades, she worked her way up through various engineering and administrative positions. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Kettering University (formerly General Motors Institute) and an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Barra’s leadership at General Motors has been marked by significant shifts towards electric and autonomous vehicle technology, as well as a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion within the company. Under her guidance, GM has launched a variety of electric vehicle models and announced plans to phase out gasoline and diesel-powered cars by 2035. She has been recognized as one of the world’s most powerful women by Forbes and Fortune magazines.

5 Interesting Facts about Mary Barra

1. Mary Barra is the first female CEO of a major global automaker, breaking a significant glass ceiling in the automotive industry.

2. She started her career at General Motors at the age of 18 as a co-op student, inspecting fender panels and hood panels to pay her way through college.

3. Barra was named as one of the “World’s 100 Most Powerful Women” by Forbes in 2015, 2016, and several subsequent years.

4. She played a key role in restructuring GM’s product development process and in the development of the Chevrolet Volt, one of the first mass-produced plug-in hybrid vehicles.

5. Barra has been instrumental in GM’s shift towards electric vehicles, committing the company to an all-electric future and investing heavily in EV and autonomous vehicle technology.